Electric steaming and pressing appliance

ABSTRACT

An electric pressing iron adapted for operation in a horizontal plane for pressing fabrics or usable in a vertical plane to steam hanging clothes, drapes and the like. The iron includes a small compact soleplate above which is superimposed an all plastic reservoir and handle assembly having the handle extending outwardly from the reservoir and a housing portion positioned between the reservoir and the soleplate enclosing a thermostat and a temperature control arm. The means for delivering water from the reservoir to a steam chamber on the upper surface of the soleplate comprises a compact pump having a diaphragm which is operable by direct finger pressure to deliver water from the reservoir to the steam chamber. The pump which is mounted in an opening for the reservoir is removable to permit the pouring of water into the reservoir. The reservoir and handle include a one piece injection molded plastic member which includes a downwardly facing cup-shaped portion which is closed by the housing member to form the reservoir. The pump permits the iron to be operated in any position while delivering substantial quantities of steam from the orifices disposed in the soleplate.

A United States Patent 1191 Vieceli et al, Y

[111 3,811,208 May 21, 1974 ELECTRIC STEAMING AND PRESSING APPLIANCE Inventors: Joseph L. Vieceli, La Grange; James T. Williams, Downers Grove, both 0f111.

US. Cl'. 38/77.8, 38/88, 68/222 Int. Cl D06 f 75/06, D06f 75/36, D06c 1/00 Field of Search 68/222; 38/69, 70, 77.5,

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 9/1945 Schreyer 38/88 5/1941 Hansen 38/88 l/l948 Hayashi 38/77.8 s/ma's Gilbert.. 38/69 (S /I956 Swenson... 38/77.8l

1 5 ABSTRACT An electric pressing iron adapted for operation in a horizontal plane for pressing fabrics or usable ina vertical plane to steam hanging clothes, drapes and the like. The iron includes a small compact soleplate above which is superimposed an all plastic reservoir and handle assembly having the handle extending outwardly from the reservoir and a housing portion positioned between the reservoir and the soleplate enclosing a thermostat and a temperature control arm. The means for delivering water from the reservoir to a steam chamber on the upper surface of the soleplate comprises a compact pump having a diaphragm which is operable by direct finger pressure to deliver water from the reservoir to the steam chamber. The pump which is mounted in an opening for the reservoir is removable to permit the pouring of waterinto the reservoir. The reservoir and handle include a one piece injection molded plastic member which includes I a downwardly facing cup-shaped portion which is closed by the housing member to form the reservoir. The pump permits the iron to be operated in any position while delivering substantial quantities of steam from the orifices disposed in the soleplate.

24 Claims, 13 Drawing Figures PATENTEDW m4 351 1.208

saw u or 4 ELECTRIC STEAMING AND PRESSING APPLIANCE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION iron was just beginning to be sold in substantial quantit es, d rin e 1950s, he marlssthas chan e to 1. 9!!

an extend that almost all of the domestic pressing irons sold today are capable of being operated both as a steam iron or a dry iron. There are also many additional features which are included with these combined steam and dry irons. These features include water sprays, sophisticated thermostats, cord storage means, level gauges to show the amount of water in the water reservoir, and means for developing extra penetrating steam which will penetrate .the fabric more completely than the steam issuing from a steam generating chamber which is at substantially atmosphericpressure.

Some of these new features have been added to accommodate the changes in the life style and the different position which the user of the electric iron now occupies in the American home. The woman of the house is frequently employed and no longer has time to sprinkle and soak clothes long in advance of the period during which she will iron. In addition, the new fabrics now available have reduced substantially the amount of ironing required and in many cases reduce the ironing to a mere touch-up chore with respect to some garments. Our very mobile society has also brought about substantial changes in the type of ironing which is performed. 7

Men who spend most of their working-time living out of suitcases and traveling from city to city require irons which are capable of removing wrinkles from their area. In an effort to compact the size of a steam iron,

7 there have been attempts in the past at-integrating the water reservoir with the handle of the iron as shown in- Scott U.S. Pat. No. 2,506,941, Boardman et al. U.S. Pat. No. 2,589,921 and Jepson U.S. Pat. No.

- 3,104,482. There have also been disclosures concerning the pressurizing of the steam generating chamber in order to achieve a greater penetration of steam from the openings in the soleplate. Examples of these disclosures are the US. Pats. to'Green No. 2,483,579 and Gronwick et al. Pat. No. 3,599,357, both of which are directed to full size irons which would be unsuited to use as travel irons.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The instant invention is concerned with a small compact pressing iron which may be'used as a steam or dry pressing iron in the horizontal plane or lifted from the pressing surface and used as a fabric steamer to steam hanging garments, draperies or the like. The form of I rearwardly.

clothes and at the same time irons that are light and easy to transport in a suitcase. The demand for pressing devices of this type has created a whole new industry which makes and markets the garment steaming devices. These devices, examples of which are shown in Gilbert U.S. Pat. No. 3,372,499 and Carlos et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,272,964 are designed to steam or press a hanging garment to remove the wrinkles from it. Such devices may also be used for steaming wrinkled drapes and other similar chores. The garment streamersare of compact design so that they are well adapted to being packed in a suitcase. Other pressing devices designed for the traveling businessman or family are the socalled travel irons, examples of which are disclosed in Kistner U.S. Pat. No. 2,693,651, Swens on U.S. Pat. No. 2,750,695 and Kistner U.S. Pat. No. 2,825,l57. Although these are fairly compact, they will not perform the fabric steaming function adequately since they are not designed to operate in a vertical plane.

Since both the fabric steamer and the travel iron per- I form useful and different functions, it would be desirable to have a single appliance which could perform all the functions of these two appliances. In addition, the combination appliance must be light and compact since it is important that it be easily transported in'a suitcase.

Recessed in the top of the reservoir is a diaphragm type pump which is simply mounted in an opening in the top of the reservoir. The pump serves to deliver water under pressure into the steam generating chamber formed on the soleplate where it is changed into steam and discharged through orifices in the soleplate.. The diaphragm portion of the pump is on the exposed upper surface thereof which may be engaged by the thumb of the operator to cause the pump to function. To further simplify the structure of the device, the pump is'readily removable so that water may be poured into the reservoir through the same opening in which the pump is supported during normal operation. I

The housing portion which is positioned immediately iron extends into the free end of the handle, through the handle'and downwardly through a passage at the edge of the water reservoir into the above-described housing portion. This provides a compact arrangement for the electrical aspects of the appliance while at the same time separating these parts from the water enclosing areas of the reservoir. I

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved steam or dry iron.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an electric pressing iron which may be used in a horizontal plane for pressing garments or disposed vertically for the purpose of steaming hanging draperies or garments.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a compact portable iron having a molded plastic reservoir. and handle assembly which is mounted to the upper surface of a compact soleplate.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved pressing iron having a column-like portion which comprises a water reservoir and a housing portion for a thermostat and electrical connections.

.7--7 of FIG. 4;

vide a compact lightweight iron which has a molded plastic reservoir and handle assembly which permits the iron to be stored on its side resting on the plastic portions when not in use.

Still another object of the present invention is toprovide a pump for delivering water from the water reservoir into the soleplate steam chamber using an improved pump design. 7

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds, and the features of novelty which. character ize the invention will be pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an electric pressing iron embodying our invention;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view showing the pressing ironof FIG. '1 in a storage position in which it is resting on its side;

FIG. 3is an enlarged top plan view'of the iron of FIGS. 1 and 2 with'the handle cover removed to expose the inner end of the power cord;

' FIG. 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional-view taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken online 5-5 of FIG.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional viewtaken on line 6-6 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on .line

FIG. 8 is a plan view taken substantially on line 8-8 ofFIG'. 4;

FIG.- 9 is a plan view of the soleplate taken on line 9-9 of FIG. 4; 8 .1

FIG. 10 is a bottom'view of the soleplate taken substantially along line 10-10 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 11 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on line 1l-11 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 12 is an exploded perspectve view of the pressing iron of FIG. 1; I

FIG. 13 is a somewhat schematic vertical sectional 4 view of an alternative form'of the invention.

Referring'to the drawings, there is shown in FIG. 1 an electric pressing iron'desi'gnated generally by reference numeral 14. The pressing iron 14 includes a soleplate 16 and a reservoir and handle assembly 18. The reservoir and handle assembly 18 includes a laterally extending handle 20, a reservoir 21 and a housing portion 24. The handle and the reservoir'21 are formed by a one piece injection molded reservoir member 22 which has integrally formed therewith handle portion 23. The complete handle 20 is formed by the handle portion 23 and a cover 75 which extends across the top surface of the handle 20. The handle 20 is formed and disposed so that it may be conveniently grasped by the user of the appliance and includes. a conveniently shaped gripping portion 25 formed on the lower surface of the handle portion 23. Located closely adjacent the forward end of the handle 20, but in the reservoir I '21, are recesses or indentations 26 which receive the users thumb when the hand is gripped aroundthe handle 20. 1

The soleplate 16 is of a reduced sizecompared to the normal size of a pressing iron soleplate having about 1/2 the pressing surface'area ascompared to a conventional full size steam iron. As is evident-from FIG. 1, the

reservoir 21 and the housing portion 24 form and column-like structure which extends upwardly from the soleplate and from the top of which the handle 20 extends laterally. This provides a compact and easily manipulated assembly which is well adapted to travel use as wellas to the normal ironing chores encountered in ing element 28 is of conventional construction includaround buttons, pleats and the like. The upper surface of the soleplate 16 is' provided with a steam chamber 31. The steam chamber 31 includes a deep U-shaped channel 31a which has a diving barrier 31b at the bite portion thereof. At one end of the U-shaped channel portion 310 the steam chamber is formed with two symmetrical tortuous passageways 31c and 31d as are best shown in FIG. 9. The passages 31c and 31d come together in a generally circular recess 312. At the rear of the circular recess 3le there is a transversally extending passageway 31]" which at either end interconnects with a U-shaped channel 31g. Distributed along the U- shaped channel 31g are a series of steam discharge openings 33 which extend through the soleplate 16 to permit steam to pass from the steam chamber 31 through to the bottom or pressing surface 29 of the soleplate. The pressing surface 29 of the soleplate 16 is formed with tear drop shaped depressions 34 which permit the steam issuing from the openings 33 to be distributed across the fabric being pressed.

The steam chamber 31 is defined in part by the steam chamber over 35 which as shown in FIG. 4 extends across the upper surface of .the soleplate. The steam chamber cover 35 is formed of a corrosion resistant material such as stainless steel and is secured in place by a plurality of screws which are threadedly received in the soleplate 16. The cover 35 is formed with an opening 36 which is displaced to one side of the center line of the iron andis located about half way from the front to the rear of the iron as is shown in FIG. 8. Received in the steam chamber cover opening 36 is a water conduit 38 which is shown in section in FIG. 4 and in FIG. 11. The conduit 38 has formed at its lower end a portion of reduced diameter which receives a gasket 39 which is compressed against the portion of the steam chamber cover defining the opening 36. The purpose of the conduit 38 is, of course, to deposit water into the steam chamber 31 in the area indicated generally by a dotted line circle in FIG. 9.

As the water engages the hot wall of the steam chamber defining the bottom of the U-shaped channel 31a, the water is flashed into steam which passes through the U-shaped channel 31a, the passageways 31c and 31d, the recess 3le, the passageway 31f to the U- shaped channel 31g where it is discharged from the openings 33 to the bottom surface of the soleplate. The

steam chamber is formed so that. the generation of steam may be accomplished with the ironsoleplate 16 in either the horizontal or vertical position. The tortuous nature of the passageways defining the steam chamber 31 prevents the droplets of water from being discharged through the openings in the soleplate 33 and assures that the steam is adequately dried before being discharged into the fabric being pressed or steamed.

To lessen the possibility of any fine droplets of water reaching the discharge openings 33, the bottom of the steam chamber 31 is formed with barriers which tend to trap any water which has not been converted to steam. The first of such barriers is the barrier 31b which consists of a low wall about one-eighth of an. inch in height extending upwardly from the bottom of the U-shaped channel 31a. An additional barrier 3lj is provided between the circular recess 31c and the transverse passageway 31 f. This barrier is best shown in FIG. 4. In addition, at the outer endsof the transversed passageway 31f there is a step 31k resulting from the U- shaped channel 31g being approximately one-eighth of an inch shallower than the transverse passageway 31f. The barriers 31b and 3lj and thesteps 31k all tend to trap or prevent any particles of water from passing to the steam discharge passageways 33. v

' In order to control accurately: the temperature of the soleplate 16, there is provided a thermostatic switch 40 which is secured to the soleplate 16 on the top of the steam chamber cover.35 immediately in front of the U- shaped channel 31a as is best shown in FIG. 4. The thermostat 40 is a conventional'stacked thermostatic switch having a bimetallic member 41 and a pair of switch contact supporting leaves or members 42 and'43 supported in spaced relation by a plurality of ceramic washers. A retaining screw 45 secures the thermostat 40 to the soleplate and retains the bimetallic element 41 in good heat transfer relation to the steam chamber cover 35 and the soleplate 16. The bimetallic element 41 supports at its outer end a ceramic actuator 46 which is positioned to engage the upper switch contact supporting member 43. Upon deflection upwardly of the outer free end of the bimetallic element 41 as temperature increases, the actuator 46 engages the upper switch contact supporting member causing the switch contacts to be opened with the result that the power to the heating element 28 will be interrupted and the temperature will decrease. At the top of the stack forming the thermostat 41 is a frame member 47 in which is threadedly received a temperature adjusting member 48. The temperature adjusting member 48 is provided I with a downwardly extending ceramic finger 49 which engages the lower switch contact supporting member 42. Rotation of the temperature adjusting member 48 threads the adjusting member into or out of the frame member 47 causing the ceramic finger 49 to raise or tends radially from the temperature adjusting member I 48 and protrudes through a slot 24a formed in the housing portion 24.

. The housing portion 24 is a generally inverted cupshaped member having an upper wall 24b and side walls 240 which extend downwardly from the wall 24b and which intersect at the front of the iron; The rear of the housing portion 24 is formed with a somewhat crescent shaped shelf 24d and an annular depending wall 24c. On the crescent shaped shelf 24d adjacent the slot 24a there is a depression 24f within which temperature indicating scale 51 is provided. In the preferred embodiment the scale 51 is printed on a thin metal plate which is adhesively retained in the depression 24f. The indicia on scale 51 may take the form of temperature readings or the names of fabrics which are to be ironed at the various temperature settings. Cooperating with the scale 51 is a plastic point 52 which is mounted on the outer end of the temperature control lever 50.

For the purpose of supporting the reservoir and handle assembly 18, and more specifically to connect the housing portion 24 to the soleplate 16, there are provided a front bracket 54 and a rear bracket 55. The' front bracket is somewhat Z-shaped having a horizontal portion 54a which is secured to the soleplate 16 by means of a screw 56. The bracket 54 also includes an upwardly spaced horizontal portion 54b which is secured to the wall 24b of the housing portion 24 by a bolt 57 as is best shown in FIG. 4. The hex head of bolt 57 is received .in a hexagonal recess formed by a flange 24j in the wall 24b which prevents rotation of bolt 57 duringassembly of the bracket 54. The flange 24j is heat staked over the head of bolt 57 to prevent its displacement with respect to the wall 24b. The rear bracket 55 is similarly screwed to the soleplate 16 and the upper portion thereof threadedly receives screws 58 which extend downwardly through the crescent shaped shelf 24d and are covered by the temperature scale 51 which overlies the depressions within which the heads of screws 58 are received.

It should be noted that in assembling the reservoir and handle assembly 18 to the soleplate 16, the forward bracket 54 is first secured to the housing portion 24 and the rearward bracket 55 is secured to the soleplate 16. The forward assembly screw 56 is threaded into the soleplate 16 with sufficient clearance to permit the portion 54a of the bracket 54 to be slid over the head as the reservoir and handle assembly is moved into its assembly position. A clearance opening 54c is-formed in the bracket 54 to permit it to be engaged with the screw 56 in the manner described. After the reservoir and handle assembly has been moved into its assembly position, the screws 58 are inserted from the top through the crescent shaped shelf 24d of the housing portion 24 into engagement with the rearward bracket 55. As thereservoir and handle assembly 18 are secured to soleplate 16, the gasket 39 on the water conduit 38 is compressed against the steam chamber cover 35 thus creating a good seal at the point the conduit 38 connects to the steam chamber 31. After the temperature scale has been adhesively secured in the depression 24f, the assembly means have been completely obscured.

The reservoir member 22 is an inverted cup shaped member having a top wall 22a, side walls 22b which meet at the forward part of the iron, and a somewhat cylindrical rear wall 220 from which the handle portion 23 extends. The reservoir member 22 including the handle portion 23 are formed by a one piece injection molded plastic part as best shown in FIGS. 1 and 12.

' The open bottom of the reservoir 21 is closed by the 7 housing portion 24 as shown in FIG. 4. A gasket 59 is received between the abutting portions of the reservoir 21, and the housing portion 24; A plurality of screws securing the reservoir 21 and housing portion 24 together assure a leak free connection therebetween.

The water conduit 38 described above is received in a recess 60 formed in the top wall 24b of the housing portion. The recess 60 is formed by a flange 24g and cup shaped wall section 24h molded integrally with wall 24b as shown in FIGS. 4 and 11. Received on the upper end of the conduit 38 is an O-ring 61 which, as best shown in FIG. 11, seals the water conduit 38 to the housing portion 24. The conduit 38 is providedwith an internal bore 38a within which is received a check valve 62 for regulating flow of water from the reservoir 21 into the steam chamber 31. The check valve 62 is a one piece molded rubber member having a mounting flange 62a, a cylindrical bore 62b, tapered discharge portion 62c, and a discharge slot 62d. The resilience of the tapered discharge portion 620 maintains the slot 62d closed with sufficient pressure to prevent gravity flow of water into the steam chamber 31 and permits water to flow only when forced through under pressure.

' In order to overcome the effects of the check valve within the conduit 38, there is provided a pump 65 which is mounted in an opening 22d in the top wall 22a of the reservoir member 22. The pump '65 is removably positioned within the opening 22d so that it may be raised up in order to pour water into the reservoir 21. The pump 65 may then be'replaced in the opening 22d where it is in position to pump water into the steam chamber 31. g

The pump 65 resembles a cork having a conically tapered wall member 66 which engages the tapered opening 22d to retain the pump with respect to the reservoir 22. The member 66 is formed with a central recess 66a and a downwardly depending intake tube 66b. The lower end of the tube 66b is formed with a check valve 660, similar in form to check valve 62 described above. Valve 66c permits water to pass upwardly into the tube 66!) but not be discharged downwardly therefrom. Covering the recess 66a is a cup shaped diaphragm member 67 which is connected around its periphery to the upper edge of the member 66 thereby forminga sealed enclosure. The outlet for the pump 65 is formed by an outlet spout 66d which is coupled to a flexible rubber tube 69 by a plastic coupling member 68. The tube 69 is secured at its lower end by clamp 70 to a molded tube 24d which extends upwardly from the wall section 24h, the bore through tube24k connecting the water conduit 38 through check valve 62. Thus, when water is pumped from the pump 65 through the tube 69 it is forced through the check valve 62 in water conduit 38 and into the steam chamber 31. This pumping action is accomplished by deflecting cup shaped diaphragm 67 with the thumb. The up and down action of the diaphragm 67 causes water to be drawn into and expelled from the recess 66a thus transferring water from the reservoir 22 to the steam chamber 31. It should be noted that the tube 69 is made sufficiently long so that the pump 65 maybe removed as mentioned above to permit filling of the reservoir 21. The tube 69, however, serves as a retainer so that the pump 65 will stay associated with the reservoir and handle assembly 18 and may be readily replaced in the opening 22d after'the filling of the reservoir 21 has been accomplished.

In order to vent the reservoir 21 as water is transferred therefrom into the steam chamber 31, there is provided an opening 22e within which is cemented a small rubber check valve 71 (similar to check valve 62 described above) which permits air to pass into the reservoir 21 and prevents water from discharging therefrom in the event that the iron is inverted or laid on its side.

The iron 14 is provided with a power cord 73 which is suitable to connect it to a conventional utility line outlet. The cord 73 includes a molded resilient strain relief 74 which has an enlarged portion 740 and adjacent reduced diameter portion 74b. The power cord 73 enters the iron through the end of the handle 20. The handle 20 includes a removable cover 75 which extends from adjacent the pump 65 to the outer end of the handle where it engages the strain relief 74. The one piece molded reservoir member 22 including the handle portion 23 has an upwardly facing recess 76 as is best shown in FIG. 3. This recess 76 is provided with peripheral ledge 76a which is spaced below the level of the adjacent handle portion. In addition, at the outer end of the handle there are spaced walls 77 and 78 between which the enlargement 74a of the strain relief 74 is received. The outer end of the handle is formed with a pair of transversely spaced slots 79 located at the bottom of the channel shaped recess 76 as is best shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. The cover 75 is formed with a pair of L-shaped projections 750 (FIG. 6) which extend into the recess 76 and hook into engagement with an overhanging or undercut portion 80 formed in the wall of each of the slots 79. To assemble the handle cover 75 so that it forms a closure for the handle recess 76, the L-shaped projections 75a are inserted into the slots 79 and moved rearwardly until they engage the undercuts 80 and then the front portion of the handle cover 75 is moved downwardly and secured in position by the single screw 81 as is best shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. As thus positioned, the handle cover cooperates with the walls defining the recess 76 to securely grip the strain relief 74 formed on the end of the power cord 73.

There is a possibility that overfilling of the reservoir 21 might result in water flowing across the handle 20 and the associated power cord 73. In order to eliminate the hazards of electrical shock to the operator, a foam rubber sealing gasket 82 is secured within the recess 76 so that it is clampled against the peripheral ledge 760 by the cover 75. The sealing gasket 82 is a closed cell foam material having one side coated with an adhesive material so that it may be accurately positioned within the recess 76 in contact with the ledge 76a.

Extending inwardly from the strain relief 74, the power cord 73 has a pair of separate insulated conductors 83 which extend lengthwise within the recess 76. A separating wall 84 extends upwardly from the bottom of the recess 76 and prevents the conductors 83 from coming into contact with each other in that area. Connected to the ends of the conductors 83 are stiff wire connectors 85 and 86 which extend from the recess 76 downwardly through a vertically disposed passageway 88 which is best shown in FIG. 4. The conductor 85 extends downwardly into contact with a heating element terminal 89 as is best shown in FIG. 8. The conductor 86 extends into the housing portion 24 and is connected to the upper switch contact supporting member 43. Another connector 90 extends from the lower switch contact supporting member 42 into connection with a second heating element terminal 91 as is shown in FlG. 8. Thus, the conductors 85, 86 and 90 connect the thermostat 40 and the heating element 28 in series across the source of power as provided by the power cord 73. g

The iron 14 is very simple in construction and compact in form. It differs considerably from the conventional iron becauseof its facility for operating on fabrics lying on a horizontal board or hanging vertically. In spite of its compact size, the handle is as large as those found on full size irons making it convenient and comfortable to operate. The absence of any re'arwardly extending heel rest on which the iron may be supported in an upended position in the conventional manner presents no problem.

The lower edge of the side walls of the housing portion 24 are provided with a flared edge 92 as shown best in FIGS. 1 and 2. The flared edge 92 extends outwardly beyond the beveled edge of the soleplate 16 thus permitting the iron to be laid on its side for storage purposes as indicated in FIG. In this storage position the soleplate 16 is spaced from the supporting surface thereby eliminating any danger of fire or burning on the supporting surface. In this storage position the handle 20 is still spaced from the supporting surface so that the iron may be readily picked up and laid aside. Some of the prior art patents such as Schott et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,817,912 have provided for sidewardly tilted storage but have provided an arrangement in which the iron lays directly on the handle creating a condition in which the user must use considerable care in picking up the iron to avoid burning himself. In the iron of the instant invention the handle extends to the side and is spaced above the supporting surface when stored as indicated in FIG. I.

As is evident from FIG. 4, the flared edge 92 of the housing portion 24 is well spaced from the soleplate 16 so as to minimize the heat transfer to the plastic housing portion 24 and. the reservoir member 22. The conduction route for heat between the soleplate l6 and the housing member 24 is through the brackets 54 and 55 and the water conduit 38. The water conduit 38 is spaced from the soleplate 16 by the gasket 39 which it cover 35 and thus minimizes heat transfer from the soleplate 16 to the housing portion 24. This arrangement permits use of high temperature resistant plastics in a situation where normally only metal parts could be used.

The iron 14 may be operated in a variety of ways to perform many different functions. It may, of course, be

operated as a simple dry iron with no water in the reservoir 21 and the temperature control lever 50 adjusted to the desired fabric as shown on the temperature scale 51. When it is desired to operate the iron 14 as a steam iron or as a fabric steamer, the pump 65 is removed upwardly from its seated position in the opening 22d in the reservoir 21. A' suitable quantity of water may then be poured into the opening 22d. During this time the pump 65 is still attached to the iron 14 even though the :slack in the flexible tube 69 permits the pump 65 to be completely removed from the opening 22d. The flexible tubing 69 is small enough so that it provides little or no obstruction to the pouring of water into the reservoir 21. After the desired quantity of water has been added, the pump 65 is reassembled to the reservoir member 22 into the position shown in FIGS. 1 and 4. When the diaphragm member 67 is depressed a number of times, the pump 65 will begin to deliver water through the check valve 62 into the water conduit 38 and steam generating chamber 31.. This is accomplished by the fact that the diaphragm expels air or water from the recess 66a as it is depressed and draws water in through the check valve 660 as it rises as a consequence of releasing pressure therefrom. When the diaphragm 67 is again depressed the water is forced outwardly through the flexible tube 69, the check valve 62 and through the water conduit 38. As water is dischargedfrom the pump 65 the check valve 660 in the intake tube 66b prevents the water rom being expelled through this intake passageway.

It has been found that with'a little experience the operator may easily regulate the rate at which steam is produced within the steam chamber 31. A continuous light pressure on the diaphragm member 67 produces steam which is similar in volume and pressure to that which is produced in a conventional steam iron having gravity flow from the reservoir into the steam chamber. On the other hand if it is desired to produce higher pressure steam and greater quantities of steam which will discharge several feet beyond the bottom face of the soleplate 16, one may operate the pump 65 more vigorously with greater pressure.

Since the delivery of water from the reservoir 21 to the steam chamber 32 does not depend on gravity operation, it is possible to raise the iron upwardly so that the soleplate is in a vertical plane for use in steaming hanging clothes or draperies. In this upended position the pump 65 operates in the same fashion to displace water from the reservoir 21 into the steam chamber 31. The U-shaped channel 31a, the tortuous passageways 31c and 31d, and the transverse passageway 31 f all provide traps which tend to prevent any water which has not been vaporized by the soleplate 16 from passing to the discharge openings 33. Thus, even when operating in the upended position the iron 14 produces substantial quantities of dry steam.

When operating in the upended position the check valve 71 in the upper forward portion of the reservoir member 22 prevents the water from passing out of the bleed opening provided to relieve the pressure in the reservoir as the water is removed.

It should also be noted that the lower end of the intake tube 66b is positioned at the bottom rear portion of the reservoir 21 so that the pump 65 may deliver .all of the water contained in the reservoir 21 whether the iron 14 is operated in a horizontal pressing position or the vertical steaming position.

It was noted above that the area of the soleplate 16 was about half the area of a conventional full size pressing iron. While in the preferred embodiment the area of the soleplate was 14 square inches, the invention contemplates use of soleplates on the order of from 10 to 15 square inches as compared to the 28 to 30 square inch soleplates which are embodied on theconventional full size irons. By employing a soleplate which is from one-third to one-half the size of the conventional soleplate pressing area, we have provided a multipurpose appliance which'bears little resemblance to either the prior art pressing irons or the prior art steaming devices.

Because of the more compact size and design of the iron 14 as compared to the prior art pressing device, some reduction in the capacity of the water reservoir has been required. The. preferred embodiment of the invention included a water reservoir 21 having a capacity of approximately 4 k ounces which is somewhat less than the 7 ounce capacity which is common on full size steam irons. The column-like construction of the reservoir 21 provides maximum utilization of the interior space for reservoir capacity and results in a reservoir capacity which exceeds substantially that available on conventional travel steam irons. v While the physical relationship between the housing portion 24 and the soleplate 16 has been described in detail above, indicating that the plastichousing portion 24 is spaced from the soleplate so that the flared edge 92 is continuously out of contact'with'the soleplate 16, there are functional advantages flowing from this arrangement which should be clearly understood. The volume within the housing portion 24 is relatively unobstructed, thus-permitting air to circulate through the space between the housing portion 24 and the soleplate 16. When the iron is on its side in the storage position, the air adjacent to the soleplate 16 is heated causing it to rise in the space between the housing portion 24 and the soleplate 16. This rising air produces a chimney effect in the space causing cooler air to be drawn in the bottom and circulated through this space. As a consequence, the flared edge 92 remains at a very low temperature in spite of the fact that it is positioned in closely spaced relationship to the soleplate l6.

Another significant aspect of the design of the iron 14 is the arrangement of the center of gravity of the iron when it is in its storage orrest position. The center of gravity is positioned forwardly of a line which might be drawn through the points at which the flared edge 92 and the reservoir 21 would engage the horizontal surface when the iron is rested on its side. With the center of gravity positioned forwardly of this line the weight of the iron tends to elevate the handle and make it easy for the operator to pick up the iron 14 from the rest position.

around the inside of the recess 123 and is suitably gasketed and secured in place so as to form a sealed, water more heat resistant plastic than the reservoir member tight reservoir as in the earlier described embodiment. In addition, the metal plate 126 is cut away to permit the conductors 85 and 86 extending through the handle 127 and downwardly through the vertically disposed passageway 128 into connection with the thermostat and the heating element. This alternative embodiment has the advantage of reducing the number of plastic parts but entails the use of the metal plate for the bottom of the reservoir and involves a part shape which is more difiicult to mold. The two piece embodiment disclosed in the drawings also has the advantage of permit ting the use of different types of plastic in the reservoir member 22 and the housing member 24. Since the housing member 24 is positioned immediately adjacent to the soleplate, it might be desirable to make it of a While there have been shown and described particular embodiments of the invention, it will be obvious to In an alternative embodiment of the invention shown v in FIG. 13, another form of the reservoir member 22 is contemplated. The molded reservoir member 22 may be formed integrally with the housing portion 22 so that the handle 20, reservoir 2] and the housing portion 24 would be a single plastic molded part. In a specificembodiment constructed in accordance with this approach, it was found that satisfactory operation was obtained. A one piece molded part 122 is formed having a downwardly facing recess 123 which terminated in the flared edge spaced from the beveled edge of the soleplate 16 as in the embodiment shown in FIG. 4. In order to provide a bottom for a reservoir 125, a metal plate 126 is secured within the recess formed in the plastic molded member and secured in place in the same location as the wall 24b which is best shown in FIG. 4. This metal plate 126 which forms the bottom those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from the invention, and that it is intended by the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A lightweight pressing iron comprising a soleplate having a cast-in sheathed heating element and a thermostat mounted on one side thereof to regulate the temperature, a plastic housing means overlying and coextensive with said soleplate and enclosing said thermostat and the electrical connections to said heating element, said housing means including a water reservoir and forming an upright column extending upwardly from said soleplate, a handle connected at one end to the top of said column and extending horizontally with a free end disposed laterally of said column and soleplate, a power cord entering said iron at said .free end of said handle and extending through said housing adjacent to said reservoir and connection to said thermostat and said element.

2. The pressing iron of claim 1 wherein said housing means projects horizontally away from said reservoir beneath said handle forming a shelf on the upper surface thereof, said thermostat having a control means extending outwardly of said housing means, indicia mounted on said shelf adjacent the path of travel of said control means to indicate the temperature setting of said thermostat.

3. The pressing iron of claim 1 wherein the means defining said reservoir and said handle are formed by a single piece of plastic, a downwardly facing recess in said housing means closed by a wall extending parallel to said soleplate to form said water reservoir, conduit means to deliver water from said reservoir to a steam chamber formed in said soleplate.

4. The pressing iron of claim 1 wherein the means defining said reservoir and said handle is a one piece plastic molding, said plastic molding being formed with a downwardly facing recess which is closed by a wall extending parallel to said soleplate to form a water reservoir, a vertically extending passageway in the wall of said plastic molding adjacent said recess; said passagewayextending from said wall parallel to said soleplate to a lengthwise extending cord receiving passage in said handle, said power cord extending through said passage and said passageway for connection to said thermostat and element.

5. The pressing iron of claim 4 wherein said passage in said handle is formed by an upwardly facing channel in said handle and a cover which closes said channel and clamps said cord therein to form a strain relief, means sealing said cover to said handle to prevent water from entering said cord receiving passage.

6. The pressing iron of claim 1 wherein said housing means is mounted in spaced relation to said soleplate providing a space therebetween through which air may circulate to prevent overheating of the plastic housing means by the soleplate, means mounting said plastic housing means with respect to said soleplate, said last mentioned means being formed to limit heat transfer between said soleplate and said housing.

7. A steaming and pressing appliance comprising a heated soleplate having a pressing surface with apertures through which steam may be discharged, handle and housing means mounted on said soleplateon the side opposite from said pressing surface, said handle and housing means being formed of a heat insulating material, said housing means having side walls for supporting said appliance in a storageposition on its side on a horizontal support surface with said soleplate spaced from said horizontal surface and said pressing surface extending substantially vertically, said handle being spaced from said supporting surface when said appliance is in said storage position, said housing means being substantially coextensive with and overlying said soleplate, the lower edge of said housing means being provided with a portion which extends outwardly of the periphery of said soleplate whereby said portion engages said horizontal surface when said appliance is in said storage position to support said soleplate out of contact with said horizontal surface, the lower edge of said housing being spaced from said soleplate continuous ly around the periphery of said iron to permit air circulation between said housing and said soleplate to reduce the temperature of said housing.

8. The appliance of claim 7 wherein said housing means is formed by a reservoir-member which provides a water containing means and a housing portion which encloses a thermostat and directly overlies said soleplate, means mounting said housing means on said soleplate including spaced brackets mounted on said soleplate and extending into engagement with said housing portion, said brackets being formed with portions of reduced cross section to reduce the heat transfer between said soleplate and said housing portion.

9. The appliance of claim 7 wherein said soleplate has a tear drop shape with a pointed front end, curved sides and a rounded rear end portion, said handle extending lengthwise of said soleplate and protruding substantially rearwardly of said rounded rear end portion.

10. A lightweight steam iron comprising a soleplate having a steam chamber formed thereon, handle and water reservoir meanssupported on said soleplate, said reservoir being sealed and having a conduit for discharging water to said steam chamber, a filling opening in the top wall of said reservoir, a pump removably mounted in sealing engagement withsaid filling open ing, said pump being manually actuable to pump water from said reservoir into said conduit.

11. The steam iron of claim 10 wherein said pump ineludes a body portion having a truncated conical shape and receivable in said filling opening, a recess in said body portion closed by a diaphragm on the top of said pump, said diaphragm being deflectable by thumb pressure to displace water from said reservoir into said recess and from said recess into said conduit.

12; The steam iron of claim 10 wherein said pump is provided with an inlet tube which extends to the bottom of said reservoir and has a check valve permitting water to flow into said body portion only, an elongated flexible discharge tube which extends from said pump to said water conduit, said discharge tube having enough slack to permitsaid pump to be removed from said opening for filling said reservoir without disconnecting said discharge tube from said pump or said conduit.

13. The steam iron of claim 10 wherein said reservoir is provided with an air bleed valve in the wall of said reservoir at the top forward portion thereof, said bleed valve permitting air to enter said reservoir as water is pumped therefrom but preventing water from being discharged therefrom regardless of the attitude of th iron. 1

14. The steam iron of claim 10 wherein said reservoir and handle are formed of injection molded plastic and are mounted on said soleplate by front and rear brackets, said brackets being formed to limit the conduction of heat from said soleplate to said reservoir, a plastic housing portion extending downwardly from said reservoir and enclosing the upper surface of said soleplate, said iron being adapted to storage on its side supported by said reservoir and housingportion with said soleplate out of contact with the supporting surface.

15. A lightweight pressing iron comprising a cast aluminum soleplate having a heating element cast therein, a thermostat mounted on saidsoleplate to control the temperature of said soleplate, an assembly including a plastic housing portion, a reservoir and a handle secured to said soleplate'with saidhousing portion enclosing said thermostat and the connection between said heating element and said thermostat, said housing portion having side walls which are spaced from the edge of said soleplate, portions of said housing portion extending outwardly from said soleplate to support said soleplate out of contact with a horizontal surface when said iron is stored tilted over on its side with said soleplate in a substantially upright plane.

.16. The pressing iron of claim 15 wherein said assembly is supported on said soleplate by front and rear brackets which extend from said soleplate into contact with the underside of said assembly, and brackets being formed to limit heat transfer from said soleplate to said assembly.

17. The pressing iron of claim 15 wherein said reservoir is formed by an inverted cup shaped plastic member having a downwardly facing m'outh opening which is sealed by a wall extending parallel to said soleplate, said reservoir having side walls which extend from said housing portion side walls to form an upright column extending from said soleplate, said iron being supported by said column when said iron is laid on its side for storage purposes.

18. The pressing iron of claim 17 wherein said handle extends laterally from the top of said reservoir, said housing portion being substantially coextensive with said soleplate, said handle having half its length extending laterally beyond the edge of said soleplate, said handle when said iron is in the storage position on its side said thermostat, control means pivoted to said thermostat and extending outwardly of said housing portion to cooperate with said scale.

20. A combination steaming and pressing appliance comprising a soleplate having a flat pressing surface with a surface area of between and square inches,

7 an all plastic water reservoir overlying said'soleplate and having a capacity of between 4 and 6'ounces of water, means supporting said reservoir on the top of said soleplate on the side opposite from said pressing surface, a plastic handle formed integrally with said water reservoir and extending laterally from the top of said reservoir, said handle protruding substantially. beyond the edge of said soleplate, said soleplate having a pointed front end and a rounded rear end connected by curved sides forming a tear-drop shape, said handle extending rearwardly from said reservoir beyond said curved rear end of said soleplate. Y

21. A combination steaming and pressing appliance comprising a soleplate having a flat pressing surface with a surface area of between 10 and 15 square inches, an all plastic water reservoir overlying said soleplate and having a capacity of between 4 and 6 ounces of water means supporting said reservoir on the top of said soleplate on the side opposite from said pressing surface, a plastic handle formed intergrally with said water reservoir and extending laterally from the top of said reservoir, said handle protruding substantially beyond the edge of said soleplate, said soleplate having a pointed front end and a rounded rear end connected by curved sides, said handle extending rearwardly from said reservoir beyond said curved rear end of said soleplate, a steam chamber formed on said soleplate,

means for delivering to said pressing surface steam generated in said chamber, a pump for delivering water under pressure from said reservoir to said chamber,

voir whereby said pump may pump substantially all the water from said reservoir into said steam chamber whether said appliance is operated with said pressing surface horizontally or vertically.

22. The appliance of claim 20 wherein said appliance is adapted to be stored on its side on a horizontal surface with said reservoir resting on said surface, a plastic housing portion extending from said reservoir into closely spaced relation to said soleplate, said housing portion having a flared lower edge which extends beyond the periphery of said soleplate and in spaced relation thereto to permit circulation of air between said soleplate and said housing, when in said stored position said flared edge supports said appliance with said soleplate spaced from said horizontal surface.

23. A steaming and pressing iron comprising a plastic reservoir and housing assembly, a pressing plate formed of a metal having high heat conductivity, a heating element mounted in good heat exchange relation to said plate, said pressing plate having a flat bottom-surface and said assembly being mounted on the surface of said plate opposite from said bottom surface, said reservoir and housing assembly being substantially coextensive with said pressing plate and extending slightly beyond the sides of said plate so as to space said plate from a supporting surface when said iron is stored on its side on a horizontal surface, a handle on said assembly extending rearwardly from the uppermost portion of said assembly parallel to said bottom surface, the center of gravity of the iron being positioned forwardly of the line through the points at which said assembly contacts said horizontal surface when stored so that said handle angles away from said horizontal surface.

24. The iron of claim 23 wherein said plate and said assembly are spaced apart so that when said appliance is stored on its side air circulates upwardly between said plate and said assembly to maintain said assembly at a low temperature to prevent damage to said horizontal surface. 

1. A lightweight pressing iron comprising a soleplate having a cast-in sheathed heating element and a thermostat mounted on one side thereof to regulate the temperature, a plastic housing means overlying and coextensive with said soleplate and enclosing said thermostat and the electrical connections to said heating element, said housing means including a water reservoir and forming an upright column extending upwardly from said soleplate, a handle connected at one end to the top of said column and extending horizontally with a free end disposed laterally of said column and soleplate, a power cord entering said iron at said free end of said handle and extending through said housing adjacent to said reservoir and connection to said thermostat and said element.
 2. The pressing iron of claim 1 wherein said housing means projects horizontally away from said reservoir beneath said handle forming a shelf on the upper surface thereof, said thermostat having a control means extending outwardly of said housing means, indicia mounted on said shelf adjacent the path of travel of said control means to indicate the temperature setting of said thermostat.
 3. The pressing iron of claim 1 wherein the means defining said reservoir and said handle are formed by a single piece of plastic, a downwardly facing recess in said housing means closed by a wall extending parallel to said soleplate to form said water reservoir, conduit means to deliver water from said reservoir to a steam chamber formed in said soleplate.
 4. The pressing iron of claim 1 wherein the means defining said reservoir and said handle is a one piece plastic molding, said plastic molding being formed with a downwardly facing recess which is closed by a wall extending parallel to said soleplate to form a water reservoir, a vertically extending passageway in the wall of said plastic molding adjacent said recess; said passageway extending from said wall parallel to said soleplate to a lengthwise extending cord receiving passage in said handle, said power cord extending through said passage and said passageway for connection to said thermostat and element.
 5. The pressing Iron of claim 4 wherein said passage in said handle is formed by an upwardly facing channel in said handle and a cover which closes said channel and clamps said cord therein to form a strain relief, means sealing said cover to said handle to prevent water from entering said cord receiving passage.
 6. The pressing iron of claim 1 wherein said housing means is mounted in spaced relation to said soleplate providing a space therebetween through which air may circulate to prevent overheating of the plastic housing means by the soleplate, means mounting said plastic housing means with respect to said soleplate, said last mentioned means being formed to limit heat transfer between said soleplate and said housing.
 7. A steaming and pressing appliance comprising a heated soleplate having a pressing surface with apertures through which steam may be discharged, handle and housing means mounted on said soleplate on the side opposite from said pressing surface, said handle and housing means being formed of a heat insulating material, said housing means having side walls for supporting said appliance in a storage position on its side on a horizontal support surface with said soleplate spaced from said horizontal surface and said pressing surface extending substantially vertically, said handle being spaced from said supporting surface when said appliance is in said storage position, said housing means being substantially coextensive with and overlying said soleplate, the lower edge of said housing means being provided with a portion which extends outwardly of the periphery of said soleplate whereby said portion engages said horizontal surface when said appliance is in said storage position to support said soleplate out of contact with said horizontal surface, the lower edge of said housing being spaced from said soleplate continuously around the periphery of said iron to permit air circulation between said housing and said soleplate to reduce the temperature of said housing.
 8. The appliance of claim 7 wherein said housing means is formed by a reservoir member which provides a water containing means and a housing portion which encloses a thermostat and directly overlies said soleplate, means mounting said housing means on said soleplate including spaced brackets mounted on said soleplate and extending into engagement with said housing portion, said brackets being formed with portions of reduced cross section to reduce the heat transfer between said soleplate and said housing portion.
 9. The appliance of claim 7 wherein said soleplate has a tear drop shape with a pointed front end, curved sides and a rounded rear end portion, said handle extending lengthwise of said soleplate and protruding substantially rearwardly of said rounded rear end portion.
 10. A lightweight steam iron comprising a soleplate having a steam chamber formed thereon, handle and water reservoir means supported on said soleplate, said reservoir being sealed and having a conduit for discharging water to said steam chamber, a filling opening in the top wall of said reservoir, a pump removably mounted in sealing engagement with said filling opening, said pump being manually actuable to pump water from said reservoir into said conduit.
 11. The steam iron of claim 10 wherein said pump includes a body portion having a truncated conical shape and receivable in said filling opening, a recess in said body portion closed by a diaphragm on the top of said pump, said diaphragm being deflectable by thumb pressure to displace water from said reservoir into said recess and from said recess into said conduit.
 12. The steam iron of claim 10 wherein said pump is provided with an inlet tube which extends to the bottom of said reservoir and has a check valve permitting water to flow into said body portion only, an elongated flexible discharge tube which extends from said pump to said water conduit, said discharge tube having enough slack to permit said pump to be removed from said opening for filling said reservoir without discOnnecting said discharge tube from said pump or said conduit.
 13. The steam iron of claim 10 wherein said reservoir is provided with an air bleed valve in the wall of said reservoir at the top forward portion thereof, said bleed valve permitting air to enter said reservoir as water is pumped therefrom but preventing water from being discharged therefrom regardless of the attitude of the iron.
 14. The steam iron of claim 10 wherein said reservoir and handle are formed of injection molded plastic and are mounted on said soleplate by front and rear brackets, said brackets being formed to limit the conduction of heat from said soleplate to said reservoir, a plastic housing portion extending downwardly from said reservoir and enclosing the upper surface of said soleplate, said iron being adapted to storage on its side supported by said reservoir and housing portion with said soleplate out of contact with the supporting surface.
 15. A lightweight pressing iron comprising a cast aluminum soleplate having a heating element cast therein, a thermostat mounted on said soleplate to control the temperature of said soleplate, an assembly including a plastic housing portion, a reservoir and a handle secured to said soleplate with said housing portion enclosing said thermostat and the connection between said heating element and said thermostat, said housing portion having side walls which are spaced from the edge of said soleplate, portions of said housing portion extending outwardly from said soleplate to support said soleplate out of contact with a horizontal surface when said iron is stored tilted over on its side with said soleplate in a substantially upright plane.
 16. The pressing iron of claim 15 wherein said assembly is supported on said soleplate by front and rear brackets which extend from said soleplate into contact with the underside of said assembly, and brackets being formed to limit heat transfer from said soleplate to said assembly.
 17. The pressing iron of claim 15 wherein said reservoir is formed by an inverted cup shaped plastic member having a downwardly facing mouth opening which is sealed by a wall extending parallel to said soleplate, said reservoir having side walls which extend from said housing portion side walls to form an upright column extending from said soleplate, said iron being supported by said column when said iron is laid on its side for storage purposes.
 18. The pressing iron of claim 17 wherein said handle extends laterally from the top of said reservoir, said housing portion being substantially coextensive with said soleplate, said handle having half its length extending laterally beyond the edge of said soleplate, said handle when said iron is in the storage position on its side being spaced above the surface on which the iron is stored.
 19. The pressing iron of claim 15 wherein said soleplate is formed with a pointed front end and rounded rear end so as to have a tear drop configuration, said housing portion having side walls which intersect as said front end and a curved rear wall which follows the contour of said soleplate rear end, said housing portion being formed with a crescent shaped shelf adjacent said rear wall, said shelf supporting a temperature scale for said thermostat, control means pivoted to said thermostat and extending outwardly of said housing portion to cooperate with said scale.
 20. A combination steaming and pressing appliance comprising a soleplate having a flat pressing surface with a surface area of between 10 and 15 square inches, an all plastic water reservoir overlying said soleplate and having a capacity of between 4 and 6 ounces of water, means supporting said reservoir on the top of said soleplate on the side opposite from said pressing surface, a plastic handle formed integrally with said water reservoir and extending laterally from the top of said reservoir, said handle protruding substantially beyond the edge of said soleplate, said soleplate having a pointed front end and a rOunded rear end connected by curved sides forming a tear-drop shape, said handle extending rearwardly from said reservoir beyond said curved rear end of said soleplate.
 21. A combination steaming and pressing appliance comprising a soleplate having a flat pressing surface with a surface area of between 10 and 15 square inches, an all plastic water reservoir overlying said soleplate and having a capacity of between 4 and 6 ounces of water means supporting said reservoir on the top of said soleplate on the side opposite from said pressing surface, a plastic handle formed intergrally with said water reservoir and extending laterally from the top of said reservoir, said handle protruding substantially beyond the edge of said soleplate, said soleplate having a pointed front end and a rounded rear end connected by curved sides, said handle extending rearwardly from said reservoir beyond said curved rear end of said soleplate, a steam chamber formed on said soleplate, means for delivering to said pressing surface steam generated in said chamber, a pump for delivering water under pressure from said reservoir to said chamber, said pump inlet being at the bottom rear of said reservoir whereby said pump may pump substantially all the water from said reservoir into said steam chamber whether said appliance is operated with said pressing surface horizontally or vertically.
 22. The appliance of claim 20 wherein said appliance is adapted to be stored on its side on a horizontal surface with said reservoir resting on said surface, a plastic housing portion extending from said reservoir into closely spaced relation to said soleplate, said housing portion having a flared lower edge which extends beyond the periphery of said soleplate and in spaced relation thereto to permit circulation of air between said soleplate and said housing, when in said stored position said flared edge supports said appliance with said soleplate spaced from said horizontal surface.
 23. A steaming and pressing iron comprising a plastic reservoir and housing assembly, a pressing plate formed of a metal having high heat conductivity, a heating element mounted in good heat exchange relation to said plate, said pressing plate having a flat bottom surface and said assembly being mounted on the surface of said plate opposite from said bottom surface, said reservoir and housing assembly being substantially coextensive with said pressing plate and extending slightly beyond the sides of said plate so as to space said plate from a supporting surface when said iron is stored on its side on a horizontal surface, a handle on said assembly extending rearwardly from the uppermost portion of said assembly parallel to said bottom surface, the center of gravity of the iron being positioned forwardly of the line through the points at which said assembly contacts said horizontal surface when stored so that said handle angles away from said horizontal surface.
 24. The iron of claim 23 wherein said plate and said assembly are spaced apart so that when said appliance is stored on its side air circulates upwardly between said plate and said assembly to maintain said assembly at a low temperature to prevent damage to said horizontal surface. 